Camera



' 4 SheetB -Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

E. R. BULLARD.

CAMERA.

No. 505,813. Patented 0m. 3,1893

(No Model.) I v .4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

E. R. BULLARD. CAMERA.

No. 505,813. Patented ww (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 8. B. R. BULLARD. CAMERA.

No. 505,813. Patented Oat. a, 1893.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet 4.

E.R'.BULLARD. CAMERA.

No. 505,813. Patented 001:. 3, 1893.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR R. BULLARD, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

C A M E R A SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,813, dated October 3, 1893.

Application filed October 12, 1892. Serial No. 448,666. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR R. BULLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Cameras; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

The invention relates to that class of cameras in which a suitable compartment is providcd for the storage of a number of photographic plates or films, which may be successively brought within the focal plane of the lens by manipulations from the exterior of the case.

The prime objects of the invention, while involving the general type of the above mentioned class, are, first, a construction which furnishes accommodations for an unusual number of plates or films, or plates and films, without increasing the size of the case over that usually required for cameras constructed for ordinary plate holders, having much less capacity; second, a mechanism of extreme simplicity of parts and construction; third, its positive and certain action and fourth, its rapidity and convenience of manipulation, and this, regardless of any position in which it may be held by the operator.

In the present invention-difiiculties heretofore existing in this class of cameras have been entirely overcome by so constructing the case with an interior telescoping section adapted to contain the double plate retaining carriers, which, in conjunction with suitable mechanism, cause the said carriers to travel successively from the bottom of the pile and assume an oblique position each time said inner case is withdrawn, and to assume the vertical position for exposure when the case is again pushed in, driving before it its predecessor, which is deposited on top of the pile in such a manner as to cause its unexposed side to be presented for exposure when the carrier has reached the bottom of the pile in readiness for its second round.

The invention therefore consists in the camera casing provided with telescoping section containing the plate carriers, said telescoping section being provided with stationary means acting in conjunction with the casing and its stationary parts, whereby the said carriers are presented for exposure in their regular order by simply pulling out and pushing in the telescoping section.

The invention further consists in the camera casing having the telescoping section containing the plate carriers, said section having grooves formed in its sides to engage projections on the carriers, whereby as the apparatus is operated the said carriers will be caused to travel, successively, within the said grooves, and be brought, each carrier in its turn, from the bottom of the pile into a vertical position for exposure and then be returned to the said pile at its top, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

The invention also consists in certain other novel features in the construction and arrangement of parts, all, .as hereinafter described and specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which the invention is fully illustrated, Figure 1,is a perspective view of the camera with its magazine section partly withdrawn, thereby disclosing the catch by which it is fastened when in its closed position. Fig. 2, is a view of the closed camera in side elevation showing the side thereof removed to disclose the interior construction of the same. Fig. 3, is longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the camera while in its exteudedposition, on the line 0ccc of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the rear of the camera in its telescoped position with the end cover removed to show the position of the carriers therein. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the detached outer casing of the camera, as seen from the rear. Fig. 6, is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the magazine section, the same being shown with the carriers removed. Fig. 7, is a plan view of the under side of the top of the camera casing disclosing the mechanism by which the registering dial is operated. Fig. 8, is a top view of a section of the camera casing on which is mounted the registering dial. Fig. 9, is a perspective view of one of the plate carriers, and Fig. 10, is a sectional view taken through the corner of the telescoping section disclosing the construction of the catch for holding normally closed the said section.

The box or casingA of the camera is of the usual rectangular form, and, as the main consideration of the invention has been to secure an efficient apparatus without the necessity of making the casing of abnormal proportions, it will therefore be readily understood that its size is dependent upon that of the picture which the instrument is designed to make. Within this casing A, is provided the telescoping section B, forming the magazine of the camera and containing the plate carriers C, and such mechanism as to cause the carriers to be manipulated by the backward and forward movement of the said telescoping section, which operation will be more fully described hereinafter.

The end of the magazine section B, is provided with a cover D, which is removed at such time when it becomes necessary to take therefrom the exposed plates or to refill the magazine. Of these plates the magazine is constructed to hold as many as forty, the term plates applying as well to photographic films, but in the present drawings the invention has been illustrated as containing twelve carriers, each carrier containing two glass plates and making in all twenty-four glass plates as its capacity, but it is obvious that this capacity depends on the thickness of the carriers and the character of the plates used, and it is the practice to make the carriers 0, of such thickness that in the use of films the camera will readily accommodate twenty carriers and hence forty films. The drawings accompanying these specifications illustrate a magazine camera designed to make pictures three and one-fourth by four and one-fourth inches. Hence the capacity of the magazine is based on this size only; while an examination of its mechanism will disclose the fact that in the larger sized instruments the capacity of the magazine will be proportionately increased. For. example, the next size larger four by five will accommodate about thirty glass plates or forty-eight films.

lVithin the casing A, is provided the usual lens board E, carrying the lens F, and an interior chamber G, the casing of which not only acts in conjunction with the magazine section B, in manipulating the carriers, but allows a portion of the magazine casing to extend, when the telescope section is pushed in, nearly as far as the lens board E, thus bringing said chamber G, within the magazine section.

With the above description as to the general parts of the camera, and the relation they occupy to each other, a more minute description will now be entered into in which will be seen all the operating features of the apparatus and their manner of operation.

When the camera is in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, the magazine occupies about the same room as is usually allowed in ordinary cameras for a small number of plate holders or carriers, the remainder of the space being occupied by the dark chamber G, against the rear of which the carriers are pressed in turn and brought within the focal plane of the lens for exposure. Thus when the camera is in its closed position practically the entire space is filled with the chamber G, and the pile of plate carriers 0. \Vhen, after an exposure, it is desired to bring another plate within the focal plane, the magazine section B, is withdrawn about the length of one of the carriers, thus forming between the chamber G, and pile of carriers, a space sufficient to admit of the bottom carrier being withdrawn from the pile, turned up in a vertical position for exposure and finally deposited on the top of the pile. The evolution of the bottom carrier, in order to present a plate for exposure, is accomplished simply by pulling out and pushing in the section B, in which movement the bottom carrier is pulled forward by the hook or fingers H, permanently attached to the under side of the chamberG, and caused to take an inclined position by reason of its forward ends engaging an approximately U-shaped groove or way formed on the opposite inner side of the section B, as shown in Fig. 3, of the drawings in which is illustrated the position of the carriers at the completion of this movement; and as the section is pushed in, the forward end of the oblique carrier is forced back by contact with the rear face or frame J, of the chamber G, and caused to follow the upper part of the groove I, while its lower end is held at the entrance of the groove, and thus when the section B, is completely pushed in, the lower carrier has been brought into a vertical position bearing against the frame J, firmly, by reason of the springs K, against which said carriers are pressed when the camera is closed, as shown. It will also be seen that after the initial back and forward movement of the magazine section B, the lower end of the exposed carrier, which is in a vertical position, is now forced forward by the next carrier which is by this outward movement made to take an oblique position, and in so doing forces its predecessor into an inclined position in the upper part of the magazine, so that when the magazine is pushed in, the contact of the frame J, with the lower oblique plate which forces it into its vertical position, will also force the preceding exposed carrier back on the top of the pile with its unexposed side downward.

The carriers 0, are of special construction which adapt them for use in the present invention, as well as forming a part thereof, and consist of a rectangular frame, in which are held the plates or films, preferably one on each side, and having its ends or cross-bars L, rounded on their outer side and having a. round extension M, projecting laterally from each corner of the carrier, by means ofwhich extensions M, the pile of carriers is supported on the blocks or supporting ledges N, and each carrier in turn made to describe certain movements by the engagement of the said extensions M with the groove I, while by means of the rounded cross-bars L, the carriers are readily permitted to have a pivotal movement at the point where they are engaged by the curve of the hooks or fingers H, for as the bottom carrier is pulled forward by the fingers its rear end is allowed to drop down to the bottom of the magazine section B, by

reason of the inclined surfaces of the said ledges N formed in order to allow the carrier to assume an inclined position necessary to allow its projections M, to enter the groove I. In this movement of the carrier the fingers II, which are of spring metal, are forced down with the carriers by the pressure of the spring 0, bearing on the top of the pile of carriers, and when the said fingers have reached the point shown in Fig. 3, having carried forward the bottom carrier, the forward end of the next carrier, which then becomes the bottom one, engages a rearward curved projection or ear I, on the said fingers, and causes them to be directed along the under side of the lower carrier without permanently engaging the same at this point, while the pile of carriers having descended and rested on the supports N the lower end of its preceding carrier bears against the forward end of the bottom carrier, and hence is prevented from being forced back again when engaged by the frame .I, forming the rear of the chamber G, and by which contact its upper end is forced back traveling in the upper part of the groove I, until in the vertical position shown in Fig. 2.

Within the groove I, at its upper end is located a fiat spring Q, having its rearward end free so that the projections M,on the carriers will readily pass over the spring in being forced rearward, while on being once passed over by the projection it forms a stop to prevent any forward movement of the upper part of the carrier, thus holding the upper projection of the carrier when the carrier is in avertical position,from going forward and to remain at this point until its lower projections have been forced partly forward by the succeeding carrier, while on the further movement of the said succeeding carrier it is forced back onto the pile of carriers engaging in so doing the curved spring 0, under which it is forced. At this point attention is called to the fact that after an exposure the carrier is returned to the top of the pile with its reverse or unexposed side down, so that when the carriers have all been exposed once, the entire pile is in position with the unexposed sides down in readiness for a second round of the carriers for the exposure of plates on their other side.

One of the most important features of this invention is the form of the groove I, by which the carriers are caused to take certain positions and be finally deposited on top of the pile. The lower portion of this groove is that of a curve described by the lower end of the carrier in being swung forward when the carrier is in a vertical position with its upper end so held at a point as to allow only a pivotal movement, and the upper portion of the groove being formed on a curve similarly described by making the lower end of the carrier the pivotal point and swinging forward the upper end. The forward portion of the grooves instead of continuing the upper and lower curves until they meet is formed by a vertical connecting groove which causes the carrier, which has taken its first oblique position by the pulling out of the magazine section to be in such a position as not to be forced back in the lowerportion of the groove, thereby blocking the camera, but to be readily pushed back at its upper end carrying with it the previously exposed carrier.

In refilling the magazine the coverD, is removed from the rear of the section and the carriers put in,the bottom carrier resting on the supports N, and the fingers II. In this operation the topmost carrier will be required to be forced under the springs O, and for facilitating this operation a wire frame R, is pivotally secured at its end to the ends of the springs 0, extending rearward in an upwardly inclined position to the top of the magazine where it is secured in the bearings S, which admit of longitudinal play, and by the simple contact of the carriers with the inclined frame R, in being forced in, the springs O, are raised sufficient to admit said carriers.

Operating to hold the pile of carriers firmly within the magazine section B, is the vertical bar T, secured on the inner side of the cover D, which bears against the carriers and prevents too much longitudinal play, while the projection U, secured to the bottom prevents any of the carriersfrom being inadvertently placed under the fingers as might occur in hastily filling the magazine were the said post or projection absent.

The cover D, is held in place on the magazine section by means of the spring catches V and W, respectively at the top and bottom, which are adapted to be depressed by the flange of the cover as it is forced on and to spring into recesses formed for their reception in the said flange. The cover is fur nished with a handle strap Z, by which the section B, is operated back and forth while the casing A, is firmly held by the carrying strap or otherwise, as may be found desirable.

In order to make a secure joint between the camera casing and the magazine section the said casing is provided with the usual light excluding cushion a, by which the interior of the camera is made light tight, and the camera is also provided with the necessary air inlet opening, (not shown) which may be located at any convenient point.

The camera is provided with a registering device operating automatically by the movement of the magazine section in operating the carriers, and by which the carriers as they are exposed or recorded, the number on the last carrier exposed corresponding with that indicated on the dial of the registering device. This consists of the dial I), mounted on the top of the casing a, having numerals, arranged around its edge, the milled head 0, secured thereon, and a pointer cl, secured to the casing in proximity to the edge of the dial, while within the casing on its under side is provided the means by which the dial is turned. Fig. 7, of the drawings illustrates the mechanism of the registering device. Referring to this figure of the drawings, e, indicates a recess formed on the underside of the easing, where mounted on a shaft f, extending through the casing and connecting with the dial b, is a ratchet wheel g, having the number of ratehets to correspond with the number of numerals employed on the dial. The ratchets of wheel g, are engaged by the spring pawl h, secured to the longitudinally operated rod 2 which rod is normally held in the position shown by means of the coil springjand is operated byits lateral extension 7;, en, gaging with the projection Z, on the upper forward end of the magazine section, and as the said section is operated, back and forth, the said projection Z, moves back and forth within the groove on, provided. for the purpose. By the engagement of the projection Z, with the extension 7a, the rod '1, is pulled backward sufficient to allow the pawl h, to turn the ratchet wheel the extent of the space occupied by one ratchet, and thereby turning the dial so as to bring its next numeral at the end of the pointer.

The platen, is secured at the end of the groove m, and provides a covering for the recess 0, in which the projection 7t, moves back and forth, as well as forming a stop to engage the projection Z, when the section B, is drawn out to its proper length, and thereby preventing the sections from coming apart, and thus serving a two fold function.

As before stated the carriers are double and contain two plates, hence are presented for exposure twice and bear the numbers as shown to indicate what exposures have been made by their position in the magazine as well as to facilitate their arrangement therein. The dial registering the number of exposures made, the plates having numbers from one to that indicated on the dial will readily be distinguished as those which have been exposed. By means of the milled head. 0, the dial is turned from the outside in order to set the same as may be desired.

The locking device by which the magazine section is held within the camera casing, is located preferably in the upper left hand corner of the magazine, and is designed to be operated by the thumb 011 the hand grasping the handle Z, in operating the magazine back and forth. The construction of this fastening is clearly shown by the sectional View forming Fig. 10, of the drawings, and in which the device is shown to operate within a recess 13, formed in the block 0'. The catch portion 8, extends up through a slot in the magazine top and enters a recess formed in the casing A. The catch 8, is formed on the end of a bell crank lever i having its short arm a, pivotally connected with the operating rod "0, provided with the press button 20, and the spring 10 secured to the block 0', at one end, and the short arm a, of the lever to keep the catch normally raised, so that when the magazine section is pushed in it will catch of itself. The hole 11 is formed in the cover D, through which the button to, extends, thus bringing the operation of the catch within the control of the hand manipulating the magazinc.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a camera, the telescoping section adapted to contain plate or film carriers and to be pulled out and pushed in to successively present the plates or films for exposure, said section being provided with'grooves or ways for governing the travel of said carriers, and a casing provided with plate projecting devices for engaging one of the plate carriers, in turn, to bring it forward as the telescoping section is pulled out, and a stop within the casing to engage the said carriers when the telescoping section is pushed in, whereby to bring the same into proper position for exposure.

2. In a camera, the magazine section within the camera casing adapted to be pulled out and pushed in to operate the plates for exposure, grooves or ways formed on the sides of said magazine section adapted to be engaged by the plate carriers, the fingers 0r hooks operating with the camera casing to bring forward the carriers in turn as the magazine section is withdrawn, and a stop or abutment provided in the said casing for engaging the upper end of the projected carrier, as the magazine section is pushed in, substantially as described, whereby the bottom plate is presented in a vertical position for exposure.

3. In a camera, the combination of the easing and the inner telescoping section adapted to contain plate or film carriers, a curved groove or way adapted to receive projections on the said carriers and to cause said carriers to travel from the bottom of the pile to the top thereof when actuated, hooks or fingers extending from the easing into the telescoping section adapted to engage the bottom carrier and to carry it forward into the said groove or way, carrying before it its predecessor, and a stop or abutment located within said casin g adapted to be engaged by the said carrier when the said section is being pushed in, substantially as described, whereby each carrier in turn is brought into a vertical po- IIO sition within the focal plane of thelens while its predecessor is forced by it to the top of the pile.

t. In a camera, the casing having the magazine section therein adapted to be pulled out and pushed in to operate the plates, grooves or ways formed in the magazine section, adapted to engage projections on the plate or film carriers, hooks or fingers operating with the casing and extending into the magazine section adapted to force the carriers forward in turn as the magazine is pulled out, and a chamber formed within said casing against the rear end of which said carriers are forced when the magazine is pushed in, substantially as described, whereby the said carriers are caused in turn to assume a vertical position and to be forced therefrom after exposure to the top of the pile by the succeeding carrier in being manipulated for exposure.

5. In a camera, the combination of the case with the inner magazine section adapted to be pulled out and pushed in to operate the plates, grooves or ways formed in said magazine adapted to be engaged by the projections on the plate or film carriers, hooks or fingers carried by the casing adapted to proj ect the bottom carrier into said grooves, and a stop or abutment within said casing adapted to engage said projected carrier and to force the same backward when said telescoping section is forced in, and a spring secured to the top of the magazine adapted to bear on the top of the pile of carriers and force them downward at each removal of the bottom one, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a camera, the combination of the casing with the inner magazine section adapted to be pulled out and pushed in to operate plates for exposure, supporting ledges on which the pile of plate or film carriers are supported, having their central portion cut away to allow the rear end of the bottom carrier to drop down as it is pulled forward, grooves or ways on the side of the magazine to engage projections on said carriers and to regulate the movement thereof, fingers or hooks extending into the magazine from the casing to engage the bottom carrier and move it forward, a dark chamber forming a part of the casing adapted to engage and move the carriers within the grooves and a spring normally pressing on the top of the pile of carriers, substantially as described and shown.

7. In a camera, the combination of the casing with the magazine section located therein adapted to be pulled out and pushed in to operate the plate carriers, and means, substantially as described, for imparting motion to said plates, of a groove or way formed on the sides of the magazine describing approximately a curve from the bottom of the pile of plates to the top thereof, and havinga stop located within the upper end of said groove or way, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

8. A camera comprising a casing and a magazine section telescoping within the casing, plate-carrier projecting devices carried by the casing and extending into the magazine section and adapted to project a plate carrier as the said section is pulled out, and a stop within the casing adapted to engage the projected plate-carriers and impart further movement thereto, said magazine section being provided with grooves or ways on the sides thereof adapted to engage and control the movements of said plate-carriers, the lower portions of which grooves or ways areformed on a curve described by the lower end of the carrier in being moved forward from its vertical position with its upper end as the pivotal point of the movement, and the upper portion of said grooves or ways formed onacorresponding curve described by the movement forward of the upper end of the carrier from its vertical position with the lower end forming the pivot of said movement, and both upper and lower portions connecting by vertical groove or way at their forward ends, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a camera, composed of a casing and a magazine section telescoping therein, the combination with ways formed on the sides of the magazine section for controlling the movements of the plate-carriers, of plate-projecting devices consisting of spring hooks carried by the casing and extending into the magazine and into engagement with the bottom plate carrier, and a stop located within the casing co-acting with said projecting devices to cause the carriers to travel from the bottom of the pile to the top thereof, guided by said ways, substantially as described.

10. In a camera, composed of a casing and a magazine section telescoping therein, the combination with the plate-carrier projecting devices and a stop carried by the casing, of grooves or ways formed within the magazine section adapted to control the movements of the carriers, and a spring located within the magazine section adapted to bear on the platecarriers and to form a continuation of the grooves or ways at their return end, the free end of said spring being provided with a yielding guide, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR R. BULLARD.

Vitnesses:

O. H. WATKINS, R. J. BULLARD, Jr. 

